Clarinet and the method of manufacture thereof



June 9, 1.931. E J, GULICK 1,809,380

CLARINET AND THE METHOD 0F MANUFACTURE THEREOF Filed Oct. 12, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 9, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE y EDWARD J. GULICK, OF ELKHART, INDIANA,l ASSIGNOR TO C. G. CONN, LTD., OF

ELKHART, INDIANALA CORPORATION OF INDIANA l CLARINET AND THE METHOD OF MANUFACTURE THEREOF Application filed October 12, 1928.

This invention relates to improvements in musical instruments,v particularly clarinets .and the like.

An object ot the invention is to provide an instrument of this type in which the weight is considerably reduced as compared, with the ordinary metal instrument withoutsacritlcing the appearance or any ot `the other desirable qualities of the metal instrument.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved method of application ot the key-seats in cooperation with the formation of the tone openings in the instrument body. l5 It is, furthermore` an object ot the invention to 'provide an instrument ot' this type of a material which readily lends itself to molding and to subsequent inishing work on alathe or other machine tool, whereby the shape ot' the instrument may be improved 35 drawings.

In the drawings y Fig. l is a side elevation of the body of the instrument;

Fig. 2 is partly a side elevation and partly i section ona larger scale of one of the sections ot' the instrument;

Figs. 3 and 4 show cross-sections on lines 3-3 and 4-4 respectively of Fig. 2, on a still 'v larger scale; f Fig. 5 is a side Velevation of a key seat of thetype shown in section in Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of another section oi the instrument;

Fig. 7 is a similar sectional view of an end 5 section of the instrument;

Serial No. 312,089.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view through a portion showing a modified key seat and the manner in which it is placed in the body of the instrument;

Fig. 9 illustrates another form of key seat in section, associated with a. portion ot' the instrument also illustrated in section;

Fig. l0 is a sectional view of a modified end portion of a section of the instrument;

Fig. 11 is a sectional View of another moditica tion of the end portion of an instrument section;

Fig. 12 illustrates in sectional View another type of key seat and its mounting in the body of the instrument; p Fig. 13 is a sectional view on line 13-13 ot' Fig. 1Q;

Figs. 14 to 1G inclusive show sectional views of a portion of the body ot an instrument to illustrate the 'method of providing a socket. for a key seat in proper position on said body, and

. Fig. 17 again illustrates in sectional view a modied end portion of a section of the instrument. Y

The customary practice in the manufacture ofcertain wind instruments is to make them entirely of metal by shaping a tubing to proper size, and combining the various sections of metal tubing of which the instru-'80 ment is composed to complete the entire body.

Contrasted with this customary practice, the present invention contemplates the production of an instrument of this type of nonmetallic material, particularly of material which lends itself to molding and at the same time to a finishingtreatment on the lathe or other machine tools, and to combine with this body of non-metallic material an outer covering closely adhering over the entire surface or any portion thereof to the non-metallic body so as to have the appearance of the or- `dinary'brass instruments of this type.

` The instrument, as shown in Fig. l, is composed of several alined sections l to 4 inclu- 95 sive, which are properly assembled and of which the sections 3 and 4 constitute the sections of the body proper of the instrument, while section 2 is an intermediate section to connect the body proper with themouth- 10 ,ly heavy weight.

i tubing.

According to the presentinvention the va.-y

rious sections heretofore madeof metal are produced from vnon-metallic material, as-hard rubber, or of some phenol condensate product, .as bakelite or the like; it is also contemplated to produce-these bodies of other suitable material, as for instance ofsuitable wood like ebony. Some of the materials enumerated lend themselves to casting or molding operations, and all of them may be given their `final' shape by tools on the lathe, lboring tools or any other of the numerous tools for altering the shape of objects.

As shown in Fig. 2 illustrating the body section 3 on a .iarger scale, this section comprises a main or body portion 6 and reduced end portions 'Z' and -8 adapted toV facilitate the connection of this section 8 with the adjacent alined sections 2V or t of the instrument body. The section 3, `as shown in Fig. 2 has a central axial bore 9 of substantially uni- :forni diameter extending from one end to `the other, andthissection, aswell as the other sections 2 to 5, is suitably coatedwitha layer of vmetal to create the'appearaiice of anietal instrument. Y This layer 10 of .metal may be applied in any desired way to .the outer surface of the section although it is preferred to apply it .bywelectroplating In spite of having the i appearance of a metal instrument, the new insections.

strument will retain vthe light weight ofthe `non-.metallic mass of which itisproduced andl willbe as durable or more sofas the metallic instruments. The thickness .of the plating .is shown 'eXaggera-tedto make it appear clearer, although in reality'this kthickness is greatly reduced compared with thethiekness Y of :the non-metallic material ofthe various The thickness may range from` 0.001 inch upward to any vdesired thickness, :and obviously any finish vmay Vbe applied to the electroplated layer, by polishing or buffing the same, or in some vother Way. The

.metal deposited bythe electric current on Vthe `outer surface of the various sections may either be the same over the entire instrument or it may be different in different sections, or mayeven be different at different portions of thesame section. Any of the metals as they are `nownsed.. for Wind instruments to iin- Y prove their .appearance may be deposited,

as vfor instance silver, copper,

gold and other metals. Y Y

The attachment of the plating 10 to the body is solidified by causing this plating to extend over the end portions of the section and also into the interior of ihe same, at least for a part thereof, as indicated in Fig. 2 at 11 and 12. It is advisable to provide a suitable counterfbore at the .ends of the bore 9 .of these sections and to deposit the material on the wall of the counter-bored portion of a thickness to render the :bore 9 substantially smooth over its entire length from one end to the other end of the section.

The attachment of key seats to the instruments of non-.metal material, according to the present invention, is greatly improved by the fact ythat the wall thickness of the non-metallic body is greater than that ofthe metallic bodies, whereby the keyseatsor other partsto be fixed to the outer surface of the instrument may be provided with exten,-

Vsions fitted into suitable sockets of said wall 'socket or radial hole 416 in the wall of the For the purpose of firmly seat- Y instrument. ing the metallic keyseat in the wall of the body the extension 15 is screw threaded and the radial socket 16 is tapped to yreceive'the threaded extension. The base of the conical portion and the shoulder formed thereon, however, `are firmly united rwith the metallic coating of the non-metallic body. For thisv purpose the circular depression 16 which receives the key seat 13 also is provided witl'r a metallic coating 17 forming-a layer integral with the coating 10 which covers the main :portion of the section. The socket y17Y `also is provided at its inner end with' a ,counter-f Ybore 18 from the bottom of :which the tapped opening 16 readily extends inward. Theme- -tallic layer, therefore is extended Vto cover the cylindrical surface and bottom surface! of the counter-'bored portion 1,8 of the 'depression 17 ,and Vthis portion also forms one rintegral layer with the outercoating of thekr instrument.r The shoulder of the key seat, therefore rests on a metallic surface formed:Lv

b7 the continuation of theouter metallic coating into the. circular depression 17 and counter-bore 18 thereof, and owing to the 'l a smooth radial bore 16. extending through the wall of the instrument.

The post 21 which may serve for supporting an arm or lever for actuating of the valves also is secu-red according to Fig. 3 in a. radial tapped bore 22 owing to the provision of a threaded extension 23 on said post. The post itself terminates in a cylindrical short base 24 seated in a circular depression 25 of the body 3, and here also a firm durable connection between the post and the body of the instrument is established through the y provision of a circular layer of metallic material covering the cylindrical wall of thc depression and continued to cover also the bottom of said depression. This layer also is integral with the outer layer surrounding the enti re body of the instrument. j

According to Fig. 4 the threaded extension of the post 26 is omitted and obviously the tapped bore in the body also is eliminated, the post having a cylindrical basej24 which is seated in a suitable cylindrical depression 25 extending inward from the outer surface .if the body, this depression again having a coating integral with the outer metallic coating of the body and the post merely being soldered into the plated socket so as to be firmly retained therein.

In order to assure that sliding fit which is necessary for the proper assembly of the various sections in alinement with each other, .t is -advisable that the surfaces which are placed into contact with each other upon assembly should be metal surfaces. Accordmg to Fig. 2 the section 3 has end portions l1, 12 terminating in a slightly enlarged shoulder 27 which forms the continuation of aV reduced neck 28, and this reduced neck gain is joined to the body of the section by mother shoulder 29 of the same outer diaml ter as the first named terminal shoulder 27. [`he cylindrical surfaces of the two shoulders ymd the neck are covered by a metal layer integral with the metal'coating l0 surroundmg the body of the section itself. This layer is also continued over the end face of the shoulder 27 and even into a part of the bore of the instrument, for which purpose this bore is provided adjacent the end faces with a slight counter-bore, as shown.

The intermediate section shown in Fig. 6, and which is also plated on the outside with a layer 32 similar to that of the section 3 also has a central bore 30 which is considerably enlarged adjacent the two ends of this section, as shown at 3l. This section also is reduced in diameter at the ends but the internal diameters ofthe bore adjacent the ends is suliiciently large to permit this section to be placed over an end portion 7 or 8 of the section 3. The wall ofthe enlarged bore 3l is protected by a metal layer 38 forming one contiguous coating with the outside layer 32,

and upon positioning this section on the section 3 the inner plating 38 on the enlargement 31 will come into Contact with the outer surfaceof the shoulders 27, 28 so as to provide a suitable contact between metallic surfaces, whereby a vbetter assembly of the parts is assured. A suitable packing ring -or disc, not shown, may be placed around the reduced neck portion of the end 7, and between two adjacent sections as customary in devices of this kind.

A similar cylindrical metal sleeve 33 integral with the outer cover 3l of the section 5 is provided on the enlarged bore 35 of that end of the bell shaped section 5 which is to be joined to the next adjacent section, as for instance section 4 of the instrun'lent. Here also the sleeve 33 tightly placed against the end part of the adjacent section provides a metal to metal contact. In the bell shaped section 5 the metallic coating is extended over the entire inner surface of this section, as shown at 36, joining the outer layer at both end faces. In the use of the instrument the interior of the bell yshaped section 5 remains partly visible to create the impression that the entire instrument is made of metal in the ordinary way. Y

It is obvious that at the points where adj acent sections are to be fitted to each other, the wall thickness of some of ther-e sections will be slightly reduced as compared with the main portion of the section. ln order to overcome the reduction in strength which that end portion may suifer thereby, reinforcing elements may be combined with the end portions as shown for instance in Figs. l0, 1l and 17. i' y Fig. l() may be considered as a fragmentary section through the upper or inner end of the bell shaped section 5. Thisiend portion is materially increased in strength by embedding into the body terial a ferrule 37 of cylindrical form and suitable strength. As shown in Fig. l0 the metallicdeposit 34 which completely envelops the outer surface of -this section also is `continued above the projecting marginal por-l tion of the cylindrical ferrule 37 and is turned over the outer edge of the same to be extended at 33 into the cylindrical enlargement 35 of this section. Owing to this arrangement of a reinforcing element en'ibedded in the nonmetallic body, the latter is considerably strengthened at those points where its wall dimensions otherwise are reduced.

In the embodiment illuslrated in Fig. l1 the reinforcing cylindrical ferrule is secured to the end portion of a section` which cnd portion is constructed similar to the end portion of section 3 shown in Fig. 2. The cylindrical Yferrule 40 is provided with a fiat lat- .erally projectingflange 41 covering the outer flange 42 Which may be secured to the end flange 41` of the reinforcement 40 by solder or in some other suitable Way. K

Similarly also in Fig. 17, the end portion of the section is reinforced by 21 ferrule 43 inserted into the body of the instrument and extending part Way `through the bore. While according to Fig. 2 the body of the instrument is provided with vthe projecting shoulders V27, 28 and a reduced neck, according to Fig.v 1'1"., the reinforcing element 43 is provided with these shoulder and neck portions to permit the proper assembly of this section with the next adjacent section. The rein-v forcing ferrule 43 is maintained in position Vagainst displacement axially outward Owing to the metallic deposit 10 not only surrounding the non-metallic'cylindrical surface but .also extending over the outer surface of the ferrule, and the end 44 thereof.

The insertion of key seats or similar circular elements in sockets provided in the Walls of the instrument may be effected by `methods different from those illustrated vin Figs. 3 and 4. According to Fig. 8, Vfor instance, the Vcircular depression 45 extending radially part way through Vthe Wall of the instrument has an undercut or conical surface 46. This undercut or conical surface is 'provided with a deposit of metallic material forming an integral layer `with the coating 10, and is then finished to present a cylindricalsurface; the bottom of the cylindrical depression also covered by a circular extern sion of the metallic layer. A key seat48 in the form of a ring. may then be placed in position against the layer for the Vconical Wall, and it may be united therewith as by soldering.

' The-manner lin which key seats may be positioned vis illustrated by Way of example in Figs. -9 and 14 to 16.

i After having produced a cylindrical depression 45 inthe cuter Wall of the instrument, as shown in Fig. 14,-extending through 'a portion of this Wall only, the metallic material 10 is deposited to extend also into said ldepression so'as to cover the cylindrical and V loottoin Wall thereof, as shown `in Fig. 15. The key vseat 48 is then positioned in this plated socket, as shown in Fig. 16,- and may be` soldered or in some other Way permanently secured thereto. After having been permanentlyli-xedin position, the depression 45 is made deeper to form a tone opening, as f for instance by a drill 49 shown in Fig. 16 Y which is forced not only through the circular plating' at the bottom of therocketl but also through the non-metallic Wall-of the instrument, .to produce that Yassembly of the elementswhich is shown in finished form in Fig. 9.

A modified form of the instrument and i particularly-*of the key seat to be secured thereto isshovvnrin Figs'. 12 andl, Injthis Imodifi,cation a layer :1 0 of metallic material is not onlydeposited on the outersurface of the body of the instrument, but alsoon the interior wall thereof,and this internal layer 50 may be utilized for holding key seats ink position. As shown in Figs. 12 and 13, the key seat .51 is provided with an enlarged .head portion embraced by the larger portion, of the socket 45 and resting on the circular shoulder of the socket. Al cylindrical extensionof this key seat 51 is positioned in the extended fsocket 45 with the inner end ofthe key seat elimination of the overtones due to the vibration. In spite of this improvement in the ltone quality of the instrument, the weightof the same is considerably reduced While lthe instrument retains the appearance of a metallic instrument. key seats, posts, etc. are securely held in posi- All of the attachments as* tion and the vaction of these instruments therefore is the same as of the Well known instruments.

I claim 1. A metallic instrument ofthe type des scribed, comprising a body -portionof nonmetallic material to ivliich a layer of--metallic material is applied, the iody portion having a socket for a key' St into which socket Y the layer of metallic material extends, and a. key seat secured in said socket andV attached to the extension ofthe metallic layer.

2. A musical instrument of the type described, comprising a body Aportion of non.-`

metallic material ytowvhich a Ilayer of metallic material is applied on the surface, the

body portion having a depression for seating `a post, into which depression the layer of metallic-material extends, and a postseat.- ed in said depression and secured to the 4rextension of t-he'metallic lay-'e1'. Y

3. AA :musical instrument of the type described, comprising a bodycomposedof a plurality of sections, said sect-ions consisting of nonmetallic material and being provided with terminal portions for securing` adjacent sections to each other in axial alinement,

scribed, comprising abody vportion of non# metallic material and terminating in a reduced end portion and a metallic 'layer extending over the outer surface of said body portion andKV of said end portion and also overthe end face of said last named portion.

5. A musical instrument yof the typedef scribed, comprising a body portion of l10nmetallic material, a layer of metallic material covering said non-metallic body and a reinforcement for a part of said non-metallic body.

6. A musical instrument of the type de scribed, comprisingl a body portion of nonmetallic material having a terminal, a layer of metallic material enclosing said body portion and terminal and a metallic reinforcement for said body portion adjacent thc terminal.

7. A musical instrument of the type described, comprising a. body portion of nonmetallic material, a layer of metallic material enclosing said body portion and a me tallic ferrule firmly united with an end part of the body portion and covered by said laycr of metallic material.

8. A musical instrument of the type deand the formation of the tone opening therein which comprises, irst, the formation of a key-seat recess in the exterior of the body section` then securing a bored key-seat Within said recess, then drilling a tone opening in the body section to the interior thereof through the bore of said key-seat element.

10. The method of applying a key-seat to a tubular clarinet body section and the formation of a tone openingr therein which comprises, first, the formation of a key-seat recess in the exterior of the clarinet body section, then electro-plating the body section eXteriorly including said recess, then rigidly securing a bored key-seat element within said recess` and then drilling a tone opening in the body section and said plating through the bore of said key-seat element.

11. The method of applying a key-seat to a tubular non-metallic clarinet body section and the formation of a tone opening therein which comprises, first, the formation of a key-seat recess or socket in the exterior of the clarinet body section, then electro-plating the body section exteriorly including said recess or socket, theny soldering a bored key-seat within said recess or socket to said plating, and then drilling a tone opening in the body section and said plating through the bore of said keyseat element.

EDVARD J. GULICK. 

